Trials in Municipal Court shall be in accordance with procedural rules as may be adopted by the Municipal Court Judge, though the Judge is not required to adopt procedural rules, and shall generally proceed as follows:
(A) If a defendant is entitled to a jury, after the jury is selected and sworn, the Court shall instruct the jury concerning its duties, its conduct, and the order of proceedings.
(B) The city shall then concisely state the plaintiff’s case and the issues to be tried; the defendant then, in like manner, shall state defendant's case.
(C) The city shall introduce the evidence on plaintiff’s case in chief, and when plaintiff has concluded, the defendant shall do likewise.
(D) The parties respectively may introduce rebutting evidence only, unless a court in furtherance of justice permits them to introduce new evidence.
(E) When the evidence is concluded, both sides shall commence and conclude the argument to the court, find jury if applicable. The city shall have the right to reply to the argument of the defendant.
(F) If a jury has been empaneled, after the evidence is concluded and the parties have argued their cases, the Court shall instruct the jury.
(Ord. 498, passed 12-12-2005)